


Prelude to the Nightmare Crown

by Skatoonyfan1234



Series: Big Hero 6: The Nightmare Crown [1]
Category: Big Hero 6 (2014), Big Hero 6: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Post-Big Hero 6 (2014), nightmare crown [Big Hero 6]
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-03-17 22:18:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18973681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skatoonyfan1234/pseuds/Skatoonyfan1234
Summary: Langstrom Krei, Alistair Krei's older brother, breaks Callaghan out of prison, and request his help with a special operation. And Callaghan doesn't realize Langstrom is actually using him to find an artefact called the Crown of Nightmares, so that he can use it to take over San Fransokyo.[I do not, and never will own Big Hero 6, but i do own my OCs.]In loving Memory of Stan Lee1922-2018A famed Marvel comic writer, and an animated Disney character's dad.May he Rest in Peace.





	1. Meet Langstrom Krei

It is said that some things in life can be different, depending on the paths people take, which can affect the future in ways one can never imagine, and then some.

But the future is  _never_  like the past or present. Every choice that people make alters what will happen next.

Sometimes the past can be changed, other times, it can't. But some things can  _never_  be prevented; they will still occur, just at a later date. and the redemption of certain people are part of those things.

Thus, a man called Robert Callaghan, who was once a former San Fransokyo Institute professor that became an evil supervillain called Yokai, was set upon an unpreventable path to redemption.

* * *

It all started at an office building, in the futuristic town of San Fransokyo, the town the  _Big Hero 6_  film took place in. The office building was called Langstrom Industries.

and who was the head of it?

Krei.

No, not Alistair Krei.

it was his big brother, Langstrom Krei.

Langstrom Krei was actually designed like a 3D version of Dr Phillium Benedict from  _Recess: School's Out,_ except with a blue suit instead of a black one, like his baby brother, Alistair Krei.

He was in his office, reading the newspaper. It was then his eyes widened when he saw a headline.

It read;

**'''BATTLEBOT INVASION BUSTED'''**

_'''Just 2 days ago, a swarm of strange robots invaded San Fransokyo, including a big robot on the Golden Gate Bridge. But a team of unknown heroes, called Big Hero 6, managed to quell the invasion and defeat the person responsible: Mr Yama, a bot fighter that was earlier arrested a couple of months ago. He seems to have some connection with a boy called Hiro Hamada, who was arrested on that occasion too, alongside his late brother, Tadashi Hamada._

'Tadashi...' he thought.

Reaching into a drawer in his desk, he pulled out another newspaper, this time with the headline  **'''SFIT BLAST KILLS TWO'''.** He read about how a fire at the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology that claimed the lives of Tadashi and a man called Professor Robert Callaghan.

Then, he pulled out another paper; this one had the headline  **'''DEAD PROFESSOR FOUND ALIVE- & ARRESTED'''.**

After reading the article about Callaghan's arrest, and sentence, he grinned evilly. He spoke into a phone on his desk.

"Margaret, cancel my other appointments. I want to stage..." He paused impressively. "...a meeting."

* * *

The meeting room was full of the workers at Langstrom Industries.

At that moment, Langstrom Krei entered the room.

He went to the end of the table.

"I am sure you are aware of what happened that month." On a screen behind him, he played footage of Callaghan, as Yokai, attacking his baby brother Alistair Krei, and his Krei Tech building with the microbots, to the workers. "During those 2 months, I've been keeping a plan secret since his attack. A plan to find a lost artefact. A plan to ensure that, by all means, San Fransokyo will be mine!"

The workers were concerned. "But how will the plan go into effect, boss?" one worker said.

Langstrom turned to the workers. "We need someone to make sure that my plan will be able to go into effect. and that someone is..." He paused impressively. "Professor Callaghan."

The workers all gasped, and looked at one another with deeply concerned expressions.

"But how will you get him here?" one worker said. "Callaghan's in prison now."

"yeah. he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, as i've heard." another worker said.

Langstrom ignored them; he had a plan already covered. "I suggest," he said, "That we head to that prison immediately and GET Callaghan out. My plans are to initiate. Immediately!"

The workers cheered. "You knocked it outta the ball park, Langstrom!" one worker said.

Langstrom grinned. "But first..." He sat down in his chair at the end of the table, removed his shoes, and then put his feet up onto the table.

"Your boss demands a foot rub, cuz he's not going anywhere  _near_  that prison without a foot rub." he said, placing his hands behind his head.

One of the burlier workers went up, and he started rubbing Langstrom's stockinged feet. He shuddered. "And to think I could have been working for HiT Entertainment." he mumbled under his breath.


	2. How Professor Callaghan Escaped Prison

A stranger stood outside the San Fransokyo Prison entrance. He took a deep breath, then went inside.

He went up to the desk inside the building. The man at the desk stared up from the computer he was on. "Can I help you, sir?" he asked, in a dull, bored-sounding monotone voice.

The stranger grinned, and then spoke.

"I would like to see the prisoner in cell block A113."

* * *

his thoughts were rudely interrupted by the sudden loud bang on the bars of his cell. He glanced up to see a guard standing outside his cell, a stern look on his face. "You have a visitor." the guard said. Then he opened the cell door.

Robert Callaghan sighed, then got up, and let the guard handcuff his wrists, then lead him toward the visiting room. As they walked down the corridors, he could hear yelling, jeering, and shouting from some of the other prisoners, some of which were words even characters from  _Sofia the First_  shouldn't hear. He ignored them; for he wasn't like the other prisoners in the prison.

When  _they_  taunted prisoners being moved to the visiting room and back to their cells, he  _never_  did any of that.

Instead, he just sat on his bed, wondering if anyone, even Abigail, would even forgive him for what he'd done. "I just don't deserve it." he always muttered to himself. "I don't deserve forgiveness."

But he was soon gonna realize just how wrong he was...

* * *

All too soon, he reached the visiting room. But there was no one in the room. The guard removed the handcuffs from his wrists. Rubbing his wrists, Robert just stared around the room in confusion.  _'Is this a joke?'_  he thought. "Where's the visitor?" he asked the guard nervously.

"Don't worry." the guard said to him. "You'll know soon enough." Then he left the room, and shut the door.

Robert went to the table in the room and sat down. He started thinking about his daughter, Abigail. "I hope she's ok." he said quietly.

Remembering what he had almost done to Krei, Hiro, and the rest of his friends had made him feel sad and mad with himself for what he'd done. There he sat, his hands balled into fists, hanging his head in regret. His look of regret soon became bitter, almost as bitter as he'd once been as Yokai.

"I've been so darn stupid." he muttered bitterly. "I don't think anyone's gonna forgive me. Huh. I don't even think Abigail will forgive me. She'd never want a criminal father."

Professor Robert Callaghan couldn't have been more wrong.

Almost a minute or so later, he heard a quiet-sounding explosion. His expression changed from bitter to concerned. ' _I think I'm going mad.'_  he thought.  _'I swear I just heard an explosion.'_

What came next came so quickly he had no time to think of what to do. He then saw a thick green gas quickly fill the visiting room. He suddenly began to feel scared.  _'I'm getting out of here and back to my cell!'_  he thought in a panic.

He got up, and turned to the door, but found the door was locked. He tried the visitor door, but that was locked too. He was trapped!  _'That's all I need...'_

Almost at once, the gas took effect. He started to feel woozy, and very tired.

He slumped against the wall, and as he sunk down to the floor, his eyes becoming heavy, he could just catch a glimpse of 3 figures, wearing gas masks, entering the room. He could also hear them talking about something. Something... important. One of the figures; a man, wearing a gas mask, and a blue business suit, and carrying a cane, began to walk up towards him.

Robert's last thought before he lost consciousness was,  _"Abigail?"_

* * *

_For those of you who don't know what caused the gas, here's what happened:_

The stranger was actually Langstrom Krei in disguise.

No sooner had the man at the desk left, Langstrom snuck a box through the door that led to the prison cells. A guard picked it up, and then from a distance, Langstrom secretly activated a detonator on something, then slipped on a gas mask. Then he snuck up to the visitor entrance door, and locked it.

With the guard that picked the box up, he and the same guard that escorted Callaghan to the visiting room discovered the strange thing in the box was some sort of tank. and it was somehow or other beeping, and there was a countdown on it counting down.

"What the-?!" one of the guards asked. The countdown hit zero. "Uh oh."

BOOM!

The tank blew up, and almost immediately, the thick, green gas started to fill the prison. anyone in it's path, be they guard or prisoner, instantly fell asleep, Callaghan included.

It was basically a breakout without any awareness.

* * *

Langstrom, still with his gas mask on, walked out, closely followed by the other two figures from earlier, one of them with the unconscious Callaghan over his shoulder.

Langstrom got into his limo, followed by the figures and Callaghan, and set course to his mansion.

What was Langstrom Krei up to?

Why did he want Callaghan?

And how would the guards react about Callaghan's escape?

In fact, how would Big Hero 6 react about Callaghan's escape?

Not very well, that's for certain.


	3. Langstrom Krei's Plan

Robert Callaghan's vision swirled.

"Ugh... my head..."

He could faintly see an illusion of Tadashi appear in front of him. "Professor Callaghan! Wake up!" he appeared to be saying, looking frightened, as if Tadashi had seen him collapse from exhaustion in his class.

"Tadashi...?" he said groggily.

Slowly, but surely, he opened his eyes, and sat up, rubbing his head, putting his feet on what seemed to be a white solid floor.

He felt like he hadn't got any sleep in ages; most notably from all the sleepless nights in prison, due to having countless nightmares of what he'd done to Tadashi.

"Wha... wh... where am I?" he said, looking around. "How did I get here?" He was  _very_  confused.

He found himself sitting on a soft looking bed.

He was still in his prison uniform.

And now, he had absolutely no idea  _where_  he was. It was somewhere he'd never been before.

He sighed, and calmly removed his prison shoes, then stared at his bare feet in dumb shock. "Someone's captured me." he said quietly. "Someone's captured me. They've broken me out of prison, and now, whoever it is, they've captured me." He wriggled and flexed his toes in concern.

He chuckled mirthlessly. "There's no use trying to fight it, Robert. You're  _definitely_  going insane." he mumbled.

"You're definitely  _not_  hallucinating." a voice said from next to him.

Robert turned to his side and when he saw the voice's speaker, his eyes widened. He gasped in fear, and he nearly fell off the edge of the bed in shock. "Don't hurt me!" he said in fear.

The stranger he'd seen, resembling one of the  _Recess: School's Out_  Secret Service Look-alike guards, went up to him. Robert didn't know whether to scream, yell for help, or try & break out of where he was.

It was then the guard spoke. "Sir, please it's okay. Don't be afraid."

Robert slowly calmed down, and looked up at the guard with wide blue eyes. "Wh-Wh-where am i?" he asked nervously.

"You are here in the care room section of the boss' manor. The boss needs to see you." the guard replied.

"And who's the boss?"

The guard paused.

"Krei."

Robert frowned. It seemed as if Alistair Krei captured him, presumably to get revenge for almost destroying him. Great.  _'As if being put in prison wasn't bad enough. And now, Alistair's flipped his lid."_

At the mention of Alistair's name, it was then he felt a new emotion.

Anger.

"Has Alistair put you up to this?" he snapped. "Is he gonna come to torment me? Haven't I suffered enough already having lost my job, my life, and my chance to see Abigail again?"

The guard gently put his hand on Robert's chest, and stared with a stern expression. "It's not the Krei  **you're**  on about." he said.

That caught Robert off guard.

He calmed down, and stared in stunned silence. After a while, he managed to force out the word "What?"

The guard stared at him. "The person that got you out of prison was..."

The guard paused impressively.

"...Langstrom Krei."

Robert sat up in surprise. "Langstrom Krei?"

"He's Alistair's older brother."

Robert scratched his head in confusion. He never knew that Alistair Krei, the man he thought was the cause for losing his daughter in the wormhole experiment that went horribly wrong, had a brother. "Why would he do that?"

"Langstrom broke you out of prison for good reason. He wants you for some important plans." the guard said.

Robert's eyes widened, but then he shook his head. He looked down, and his toes began to wriggle and flex again. "But... why? Why does he want  _me_?" he said doubtfully.

The guard stared at the convicted and concerned ex-professor. "You will find out soon enough." He said.

Robert stared at the guard, but before he could voice a question, the guard held a glass of water up to his face. "Drink." he said. "Save your strength." Robert felt nervous, but managed to let the guard pour the water down his throat.

"Now, lie down, relax, and clear your thoughts." the guard said, before he left out of a nearby door.

Robert sighed in defeat as he lay down. He did not know what was going on in the world anymore. "What I wouldn't give to be back in prison right now." he muttered.

* * *

Langstrom Krei was at his desk in his office in his manor, clipping his toenails.

Just as he was about to clip the next toenail, the same guard that tended to Callaghan, burst into the office, making him jump in shock. He nearly fell off his chair.

The toenail clipper he was holding flew out of his hand, and into a dartboard with his baby brother's face on it, surrounded by many darts. it hit the picture dead center.

Langstrom was shocked. And, needless to say,  **very**  annoyed. "What did I tell you about bursting into my office during my toenail clipping session?" he snapped.

"uhhh, to not to?" the guard said sheepishly.

Langstrom sighed. "As long as you're here, what do you want?" he said, putting his feet into his slippers.

"The subject has awoken." the guard said.

Langstrom changed the camera view to the care room, seeing Callaghan lying on the bed.

"Ah, perfect. Our Sleeping Beauty has awoken. And he will be perfect in my plans. The plans to find a legendary artefact project that was once lost. And then, the city of San Fransokyo will be mine!" He cackled insanely.

He turned to the guard that entered his office. "Tell Callaghan to change out of that eyesore of a prison uniform, get a shower, and meet me in my study. Changes are afoot."

The guard nodded. "But,  _before_  you go," Langstrom said, removing his slippers, and sitting down in his chair, "You'd better finish what  _you_  interrupted." he added sternly, lifting up one of his feet.

The guard reluctantly got the toenail clipper from the dartboard, and started clipping Langstrom's toenails. The sweaty-smelling musk from Langstrom's foot made the guard shudder. "When Mom told me to be a doctor, I should have listened!" he muttered.


	4. That's What Friends Are For

Langstrom entered his study and sat down in his chair.

Almost a couple of minutes later, Robert Callaghan entered.

He had changed out of his prison uniform, had a nice long shower, and put on a spare pair of Langstrom's pajamas, also Langstrom's spare bathrobe, and Langstrom's spare pair of slippers, that the guard that tended to him had given him. The clothes felt different, but surprisingly comfortable. Nothing compared to shirts with sweater vests, slacks, and shoes, and his Yokai clothes, and his prison uniform, though.

He went up to the other chair in the room, and calmly sat down. He saw Langstrom Krei.

"Ah. Langstrom Krei." Robert said seriously.

"Professor Robert Callaghan." Langstrom said.

There was a long silence.

"I figured out that you were the one who released me from prison." Robert said.

"Yes. Yes I was." Langstrom said.

"Why?" Robert asked crossly. "Has your brother Alistair put you up to it?"

"Ah." Langstrom said. "I see you know my baby brother, Alistair."

Robert frowned and rolled his eyes. "Duh. I **do** know him. I'm not stupid, you know." He raised his voice in anger. "He's the one who denied me the chance of seeing my daughter!" He felt angry with Alistair for the portal incident that he thought had killed his daughter.

Langstrom grinned; staying surprisingly calm about the whole thing. "I know." he said. "Even **I** wouldn't have known his pathetic wormhole experiment went wrong." He held up a newspaper of the portal incident, and Robert stared at it bitterly. Just seeing it reminded him of all the rage he'd been in when it happened, and wanting to kill Krei.

"And I suppose you know about Hiro Hamada?" Langstrom said. "Ah yes. The robotics genius hoping to be better than his late brother." Callaghan said.

"I've just heard he and his friends are now superheroes; a team called Big Hero 6." Langstrom showed him another newspaper, this one being about Big Hero 6 quelling the battlebot invasion 2 days ago. He pointed to the picture of Big Hero 6 on the front page. "They were the ones that defeated you, am i right?"

Robert's frown became a sneer, too angry to even question how Langstrom _knew_ that. "Yes." he said through gritted teeth.

Langstrom stared. "It seems," he said, "Your hunger for vengeance turned you insane. Look at how pale you are." He paused. "And speaking of hunger, you must be hungry." He turned to a nearby guard. "Guard, bring our guest something to eat."

The guard disappeared. Almost at once, he came back with a plate with a turkey sandwich on it. And he also brought a mug of tea for both Langstrom and Callaghan. He set the cups down on their respective tables nearby their chairs; also putting the plate on Callaghan's table. Langstrom thanked and dismissed the guard.

Slowly, but surely, Robert calmed down, and stared at the sandwich on his plate. he gingerly picked it up, and took a bite.

It felt good; the best food he'd eaten in a month and 2 days. "I guessed the food they serve in that prison ain't much good." Langstrom said. "I figured you'd need something to eat."

Robert swallowed the part of sandwich he'd eaten. "Thanks... Langstrom." he said. "I can't believe you're being nice to me, especially after what I... almost did to your brother." The last part made him feel remorseful again, as he took another bite of the sandwich.

"I know." Langstrom said. "But it's okay. I forgive you."

Robert nearly choked on the sandwich he was eating. "You... _forgive_ me?" he said, quite surprised.

He was surprised that the brother of Alistair Krei, the man he thought was the cause for losing his daughter in the wormhole experiment that went horribly wrong, would ever forgive him for what he'd done. He felt like he'd grown a second head.

"Course I do," Langstrom said kindly. "cause that's what friends are for, right?"

"You... consider me... a _friend_?" Robert said.

"Sure." Langstrom said to him, as he got up and helped him up.

Robert smiled fondly. Langstrom Krei considered him a friend, unlike his baby brother, the same one he thought was the cause for losing his daughter Abigail. 'Maybe he _is_ a good person.' Robert thought, munching on the sandwich.

"I guess I should thank you for releasing me from prison." Robert said. "You're most welcome." Langstrom said happily. He looked at the night sky outside his manor window. "It's getting late. Finish your sandwich, and then, it's time to sleep."

Robert grinned, as he ate what was left of the sandwich. He felt better now, but still wondered if his daughter Abigail would forgive him.

But little did Callaghan realize was that there was soon gonna be more to his new friend than he knew...

* * *

 

Later, Robert sat on the bed in the care room. Langstrom came to check on him. "I'm glad you're settling in, Robert." he said to his friend.

"I'm glad you're being so nice to me since after my mistakes." Robert said. "Yep." Langstrom said. "Even if Hiro Hamada & his friends don't need you, **I** certainly do. That's what friends are for."

Robert lay down on the bed, and pulled the blanket up. He fell asleep immediately. "Good night." Langstrom said, shutting the door as he went.

As he was walking down the corridor to his bedroom, he grinned evilly. "This is only just the beginning, Robert Callaghan." He said. "Soon, you, _and_ the team of Big Hero 6, will soon be nothing but history, and then, San Fransokyo will soon be mine! ...Not sure what I'll do with it, but I'll figure something out."

Was Langstrom Krei REALLY being the good guy he claimed to be?


	5. The Incredible Shrinking Yama

The next day, Langstrom Krei was up early, having his breakfast. He was reading the morning paper, and soon he discovered this headline:

**'''YAMA IN YOKOZUNA ASYLUM'''**

_Mr Yama, the same botfighter responsible for the battlebot invasion 3 days ago, has had his sentence announced - life imprisonment in Yokozuna Asylum. One of the jury people argued, "Maybe we shoulda sent Callaghan there!"_

Langstrom found it rather humorous. but then grinned evilly. "Yama will be perfect for my plans as well." he said.

He called a guard in. "How are you progressing with that shrinking formula you've been working on?" he said. "We've just been perfecting it." the guard said.

"Excellent." Langstrom said. "Meet me in the lab in 10 minutes."

* * *

**_10 MINUTES LATER..._ **

Langstrom was in the laboratory in his manor. The lab was as big as the same one in the San Fransokyo Institute of technology.

His chief scientists [which were the same guards, but wearing white lab coats] had been working on a shrinking formula, nicknaming it 'Thundersmall', the machine seen in [and the episode name] of the series finale of  _Special Agent Oso_.

One guard prepared to test the formula. He got an old oil drum, and sprayed it with the formula, shrinking it down to the size of a tennis ball.

"Perfect. Now, I'm ready for Operation: Bot Breakout." He said. The guards were puzzled. "What's that, boss?" one guard asked. "You'll see." Langstrom said, with a smug look on his face. Then, he left the lab with the shrink formula in a bottle, and a ski mask, and a few other things.

He turned to another guard; the same one that tended to Callaghan. "You, Joseph, you're in charge till I get back." he said. "Make sure to tend to Robert as well." he added as he left.

* * *

Langstrom's limo soon pulled up outside the Yokozuna Asylum entrance. Langstrom Krei got out, looked at the entrance, took a deep breath, then went inside.

He went up to the desk inside the building. The man at the desk stared up from the computer he was on. "Can I help you, sir?" he asked.

Langstrom grinned, and then spoke. "I would like to see the prisoner called Yama."

The man checked on the computer. "Yama is currently busy getting his breakfast." Langstrom was disappointed, but grinned. "Would you mind running the desk for a bit? I need to use the restroom." the man said. "OK." Langstrom grinned.

He waited for the person at the desk to leave, then slipped into the desk, then spoke into the intercom. "Attention." he said. "Will the guard bringing Yama's breakfast report in here in a few minutes, please."

* * *

Almost a few minutes later, the guard with Yama's breakfast came into the reception area. he put the bowl of cereal on a nearby table. "What's going on?"

At that moment, a flash came in front of him, blinding him. "Huh?" Then he felt himself get zapped, then he fell unconscious.

It turned out Langstrom Krei was the one behind the aforementioned flash & zap. Langstrom Krei stuffed the unconscious guard into a nearby broom closet. Then, He turned to Yama's breakfast, and poured in some of the shrinking formula, then mixed it in.

Then, using a device, he became an exact double of the guard he stunned. "Not bad." he said to himself.

The disguised Langstrom picked up Yama's breakfast, then headed to Yama's cell, at the far end of the prison, which was designed like Magamind's cell in the  _Megamind_  movie, but with grey walls and steel floors.

* * *

"Your breakfast is here, Yama." the disguised Langstrom said as he entered the cell. He saw that Yama's cell was riddled with pictures of Hiro Hamada, most of them scribbled on with red felt tip pens.

Yama turned round in his chair. "About time you showed up." Yama said angrily. A desk came up, and the disguised Langstrom grinned, then put the bowl of cereal onto it, then left the cell.

Yama munched away at his breakfast, quite satisfied. it tasted stranger than normal, but still, it was good nevertheless.

Suddenly, Yama began to feel funny. He dropped his spoon into the cereal bowl and fell down to the floor. Almost 1 second after that, the adult bot fighter went into a dramatic transformation that he didn't even think was possible.

His body slowly began to dwindle rapidly in size. Everything around him in his cell grew bigger and bigger and bigger as he shrank smaller and smaller and smaller till he was no bigger than a tennis ball. Luckily, Yama's clothes had shrunk with him.

"What?" Yama said, glancing round his now huge cell. "What's happened to me?"

At that moment, a huge hand picked him up, then took him out the cell. Yama saw the hand belonged to the same guard that gave him his breakfast. "What have you done to me?" he shouted up at the guard, but it did not work; for he was too tiny to be heard.

* * *

Soon, the guard & the shrunken Yama soon reached the limo. He set the little bot fighter down on the hood. The guard used the same device he used before...

...and turned back into Langstrom Krei!

"What the-?" Yama said, shocked. Then Langstrom put Yama in his pocket, got into his limo, and drove back to his mansion.

"Where are you taking me?" Yama asked. "Langstrom grinned. "To my manor. But don't worry, you'll see why I need you in approximately... 30 seconds."

* * *

**_30 SECONDS LATER..._ **

In the lab in Langstrom's manor, Yama was placed on a table in front of Langstrom Krei, who to his tiny size, looked like a giant.

"Well, now, Mr Yama, was it? I bet you are now wondering why I did this." Langstrom said. "Yes. Yes I am." Yama said.

"It is simple. I brought you here because..." he paused. "I need your help with something important."

"What is it?" Yama asked.

Langstrom grinned broadly. But he didn't answer the question. Instead, he showed off the newspaper about Big Hero 6 quelling the battlebot invasion. "Hiro was the one that beat you 3 days ago, right?"

"Of course!" Yama shouted. " _And_  he beat you in the bot fighter tournament a couple months back." Langstrom added. "Duh!" Yama yelled loudly. "How did ya even  _know_  about that? He has been a darn thorn in my side since then!"

Langstrom grinned. "Well, how would you,Yama, like to destroy Hiro Hamada?" "Oh, would I ever!" Yama said evilly. Langstrom felt pleased and proud. "Well, you will have the chance to do that soon enough. You just need to do a small errand for me. Do you accept?"

"The great Yama accepts!" Yama said. "Great." Langstrom said, shaking Yama's hand.

Well, not quite hand; more like hand and finger.

but still, it's good enough.

"Just one thing." Yama said. "How  **did**  you get me outta that asylum? I mean, I heard that Yokozuma Asylum is very tricky to escape from!"

Langstrom said, "Oh, my chief scientist guards whipped up a shrinking formula to shrink you, so I could get you out. But don't worry. It will wear off soon."

"I know I will be sorry i asked this, but when soon, exactly?" Yama asked. "Ummm," Langstrom said, "about... now."

And before you could say "I am satisfied with my care", Yama grew right back to his normal size. Almost a few seconds after, the table Yama was on gave a big creak, then collapsed with a crash under his weight. Luckily, no one was hurt.

"I have  **got**  to get stronger tables." Langstrom sighed.


	6. Help Me, Help You

Later, Langstrom Krei was having his lunch. Robert Callaghan soon came down for lunch, dressed in one of Langstrom's shirts, a pair of his suit trousers, and a pair of his shoes. Langstrom looked up. "Ah yes. Right on cue." he said. "And I can see you've got some clothing on."

"Your clothing is quite different to mine." Robert said, as he sat down at the table.

"Yes, yes it does." Langstrom said.

"Why do you seem happy to see me?" Robert asked his friend.

"I want to tell you why I brought you here." Langstrom said happily. "Do you want to know why?"

"Yes, yes i do." Robert said. "That HAS been on my mind since last night."

A guard served Robert his lunch.

"Well," Langstrom said, "after lunch, I'll tell you everything."

* * *

After lunch, Langstrom took Robert to his lab.

"This place looks just like the lab at the institute!" Robert said. "I modelled my lab after it." Langstrom said proudly. "I am glad you like it." He led Robert through a door, and it was then the former San Fransokyo Institute professor saw something very surprising - an obese man in a dark blue/purple jumpsuit, black shoes and with short black hair in a ponytail, and thick eyebrows, floating in a clear tube, with a respirator over his mouth.

"That's my anti-gravity stasis tube." Robert said. "One earlier invention I made. It could help me relax after a long tiring day of teaching. Then, since it took too much room in my house, I gave it to you."

"I'm grateful." Langstrom said. "Do you recognize the man in it?"

Robert thought about the newspaper about the battlebot invasion, then realized. "Ah, of course. That's Yama, the cause of the battlebot invasion a few days ago. A guard showed me the newspaper about it in prison a day after it was quelled. and he also told me he was in a bot fight 2 months ago, and Hiro Hamada, and his brother Tadashi was arrested, as well as him."

"Well, yes." Langstrom said. He hustled him out the room the stasis tube was in. "I'm sure you will see him very soon."

* * *

"OK." Robert said. "Why exactly have you brought me here, Langstrom?"

"It's simple." Langstrom said. "I'm gonna give you an offer, an offer that will give you..." Langstrom paused impressively. "...redemption."

Robert was surprised. "How? Why would  _you_  give  _me_  a chance of redemption?"

Langstrom grinned. "You'll find out. First, go get changed into your Yokai clothes, then as soon as you've changed, meet me in my yard. There's something I want to show you."

* * *

Some time later, Robert had soon changed into his Yokai uniform, and soon came out to the yard. Langstrom was reading a storybook of the film  _'Frozen'_ , and when he saw Robert enter, he sternly slammed the book down, got up, and checked his watch. "You're 6.2 seconds late." he said.

"Sorry." Robert said. "Do you know how tricky it is to put leg wraps on? It's absolutely-"

"Errr... I think I'll let it slide just this once." Langstrom interrupted. "Come with me."

He led him into a building that looked a lot like an old abandoned airport hangar. In it was a very familiar machine, and it was spitting out something very familiar to Robert: the microbot maker from the warehouse that Hiro & Baymax had discovered before, and it was spitting out some newly created microbots. "Impressive!" Robert said. "That's the same machine I used to create the microbots." "Yes, yes it is." Langstrom said. There were also some newly made microbots in barrels.

"Now, are you ready to find out why I need you and what I need you for?" Langstrom asked as they left the hangar.

"Yes, yes I am." Robert said. "I am ready."

* * *

They went up to some nearby chairs in the yard and sat down. "I need your help to find the research on an important project that has been lost." Langstrom said.

"What is it?" Robert asked.

"I do not know that." Langstrom said. "All I know is that there is some special artefact in it."

"And what is the artefact?" Robert asked.

"I don't know that either. But I do know this: I need someone with genius intelligence and excellent use of technology to help me find it."

Robert stared.

"And that someone is you." Langstrom said. Robert smiled. It seemed to be nice that Langstrom was someone who could trust him. "It seemed very interesting that you set up the portal to attempt to destroy my baby brother and his Krei Tech building. And I should applaud you for that." he said.

Robert's smile faded. He didn't feel proud about the incident at Krei Tech. The memories of that horrid moment began to haunt him. "But it  _is_  such a shame that you got sent to prison and you never got the chance to see your daughter again." Langstrom said.

That made Robert feel even worse. He hung his head down in remorse, like he did when he was arrested. A small tear flowed down his cheek.

Of course, Langstrom noticed this. "Come on, Robert. Don't be upset." he said kindly, awkwardly patting his friend on the back. Slowly, but surely, Robert began to feel better. He wiped his face with a handkerchief Langstrom supplied.

He looked up. "So, you're offering me a chance to redeem myself?" he said genuinely.

"Yes." Langstrom said. "I'm offering you a chance to make amends for your misdeeds, and show San Fransokyo that you can change your ways. And the microbots will be useful in helping you achieve what you want."

Robert smiled, but stopped. "One slight problem with that, Langstrom." he said. "I need the microbot transmitter to control the microbots, but Hiro and that robot of his destroyed it. So it seems that my chance-"

"Is already covered." said Langstrom, and he presented a new microbot transmitter. Robert was surprised. "How did you-"

"I paid Hiro a visit at his aunt Cassie's cafe last week. She told me all about how things have been improving for him since your defeat. He even showed me his plans for his microbot transmitter he made for the showcase 2 months back. Then, his aunt called him down for lunch, and his friends had come over as well. When he did, I... sneakily copied his plans, and stuffed them into my pocket. Then he introduced me to his friends, and then, I left, and when i got back, I built a transmitter like it. And I also happened to get a spare kabuki mask for you."

He fixed the transmitter to the kabuki mask he got, and handed it to Robert, who then put it on. He tested it on some microbots back in the hangar, and the microbots responded to his commands. He had never felt happier for weeks. Langstrom was impressed too.

Over the next hour or so, Robert trained to control the microbots as well as he had done before. Langstrom felt pleased and proud.

"I think you're ready now." Langstrom said to him. "Come into the hangar. I will tell you everything."

* * *

In the hangar, Langstrom explained his plan to him.

"The fact is, I not only need  _your_  help with my important operation." Langstrom said.

Robert stared in suspicion. "Well, don't get me wrong. You are a genius scientist, but it turns out I will need help from Hiro Hamada & his friends as well."

"Why would you need Hiro's help?"

Langstrom grinned. "It's simple. They, and you, will help me find the artefact that's been lost, and when  _you_  help  **me** , I will give you whatever you want." He put his arm round Robert's shoulders. "Think of it. Everything you could ever have: a new job, redemption, and the chance to see your daughter Abigail again." he said.

"It  _does_  seem interesting." Robert said. "I would like all that, and more."

"Yes, yes you would." Langstrom said. "And that's exactly what you'll get  **IF**  you help me. Just remember: you help me, and I'll help you."

"Right you are." agreed Robert.

"Good, that's settled." Langstrom said. "Now, here's what you have to do: the following morning, as soon as your escape is announced, zoom through the city with your microbots. And as soon as you see Hiro Hamada and/or any sign of Big Hero 6, let them chase you for a while, then fight them, and then let them apprehend you. Once you've done that, ask for their help. and then, just follow my instructions, and you should be fine."

Robert understood the instructions from Langstrom exactly. "Ok." he said.

"And one last thing," Langstrom said. "You mustn't breathe a word of this whole operation to anyone,  _including_  Big Hero 6. The consequences would be... unfortunate."

Robert was starting to get unsure. "I don't know about this, Langstrom." he said doubtfully.

"Come on, Robert." Langstrom said. "Tadashi would want you to get a second chance, wouldn't he?"

"Well..." Robert thought. It seemed like a good idea, but to him, something seemed  _ **very**_  odd about the whole thing, which made him suspicious.

 _'But then again,'_  he thought,  _'it **does**  seem like a good idea, if it includes getting to see my beloved Abigail again. Langstrom Krei  **is**  my friend. And he's a good guy, unlike his stupid baby brother Alistair, who I still hate for what he did to my daughter. So...'_

Robert wasn't sure about it at all, but he was so desperate to see his daughter, he believed him. "Well, if you say so, then..." He thought about it for a second or two. "Yes. I will keep the whole thing a secret." he said.

"Wonderful." Langstrom said, shaking Robert's hand. "I knew you could be reasonable, Robert Callaghan."

Unbeknownst to Robert, Langstrom had his fingers crossed behind his back.

"Now come on." Langstrom said, seeing the sun setting in the sky. "Time to turn in for the night. Big day tomorrow." He and Callaghan walked back into the mansion.

But did it **_really_** seem that Langstrom Krei was telling the truth?


	7. Initiate

The next day, Robert Callaghan and Langstrom Krei got up early, ready for Langstrom's plans to come into effect.

Almost immediately after breakfast, Robert went up to shower, then get changed into his Yokai clothing.

Langstrom was very impressed."Very soon," he said to himself, "I will get exactly what I want."

Callaghan soon showed up, dressed in his Yokai clothes.

"There is still one thing I don't understand." Robert said to Langstrom. "How exactly did you get me out of prison?"

"I suppose there's no harm in telling you." Langstrom said. "I developed a sleeping gas, then snuck it into the prison as soon as you were in the visiting room, then set off a detonator on it, so that the gas that came knocked out everyone in the prison, you included, so I could sneak you out."

"I guessed as much." Robert said. "The formula was worked out with precision. the closer you are to the gas's exposure, the longer the effects will last." Langstrom said. "I think it will be wearing off about... _now_."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the San Fransokyo Prison, the effects of the sleeping gas were slowly, but surely, wearing off. Slowly, but surely, everyone in the prison, the guards and prisoners, woke up.

The guards from before were just waking up. "We'd better check on Professor Callaghan." one guard said to the other.

The first guard went to check the visiting room, but when he opened the door, he saw the room was empty, and the visitor door was open.

"Oh no." the guard said, before shutting the door quickly. By now, all the other guards crowded around the first two. "It's worse than we thought." he said. "What?" asked the other guard, the one that went with him.

The guard spoke in quiet, but identifiable worry. "Callaghan..."The guard paused impressively. "...has  _ **escaped**_."

* * *

Soon, the word began to spread throughout San Fransokyo about Professor Callaghan's escape from prison. All too soon, the news reached Langstrom Krei.

He picked up the newspaper and saw the article about Callaghan's escape. "Perfect."

Robert got ready to leave, and head out to find Big Hero 6, who would soon be, by this time, knowing of his escape.

"Are you ready to be a hero, Robert?" Langstrom said. "Yes. Yes, I am." Robert said, as Langstrom gave him the kabuki mask. He opened the door to where the microbots would be waiting for him. He turned to face Langstrom. "And Langstrom..." Robert said to him, holding his gloved hand out to him. "Thanks."

Langstrom grinned and shook his hand. "You're welcome." Robert lowered the kabuki mask on his head, and used the microbots to travel off to the city of San Fransokyo.

Langstrom waved and watched him head off.

"Oh how perfect." he said. "The plan is in effect."

He turned away from the door, shutting it. "And very soon, he, Hiro Hamada, and his friends, and even my feeble baby brother, will be history!" he said evilly. "And then, the town of San Fransokyo will be mine!"

He stared at the departing Callaghan, and he said, "He will know the truth soon enough..."


End file.
